Power-driven display rack



Jan. 15, 195 H. c.- DOUGLAS POWER-DRIVEN DISPLAY RACK INVENTOR. fiam'er 6. 00 7/45 Arm/WE Filed March 29, 1948 Patented Jan. 15, 1952 UNI T E D AT E S 2,582,623;

POWER-DRIVEN DISPLAY RACK;

Homer, 0. Douglas, Kansas City, Kane,

Application Mal'ch 29, 1948, Serial=No.-17*,686- 3 Claims. (01. a l-sis),

This invention relates to, rotary" display pp ia c s. an s re; e peciall d s gn d w ile rotating, to attractively display in a novel mann r. ad r sem t or mer n s n a ndowor show case, and constitutesa continuation in part of my ore n pplication fi ed u us 6,, 1947 SerialNo. 766,601, now abandoned.

More specifically, myobject, is to provide a construction embodying a pair of parallel, solid, cir-. cular disks, preferably of the same diameter, with their axes in eccentric relation, and-links. connecting the disks and disposed parallel tothe radial plane intersectingthe axes of the disks and of length equal to the radial distance be-v tween said axes,

Another object of the invention, characterized as above, is to provide display shelvesor plates bearing advertising matter or merchandise, for travel in a circle with the disks but without rotation around. their own axes, in order that the advertising matter displayed on merchandise on the shelves, shall alwaysbear the same relation to the eye of the observer, regardless of the radial position of the shelves relative to the axes of the disks.

Another object is to produce an appliance of the character described, adaptable for service in an inclined position, and provided with shelves for occupying positions relative to the faceor front side of the front diskfor best, displaying advertising matter or serving as merchandise, supports.

Another object. isv to provide power means actuated preferably from a wall socket, for rotat ing the disks by frictional or equivalent noise:- less means, and a still further object is to pro-H duce a rotary display appliance of simple, strong, durable and inexpensive construction.

With the objects mentioned inview, the in; vention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and organization-as hereinafter described and claimed and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to. the accompanying drawing; in which;

Fig. 1 is a front ,elevational view of a powerdriven display rack made in accordance with the, present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is afragmentaryview showingv one of the links, per se, taken on lineIII-III ofFig. 2; and,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view taken online 1V-IV of Fig. 2 looking inthedirectionofwthe arrows.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, here similar parts are correspondingly identified by the same reference characters; H!" indicates an open rectangular frame for and as a protecting enclosure for the operative parts; of the appliance;

.Erame Ill: includesea, flat, inclined panel; 12,, supported by; a painof; rian ula rackets; l, panelxfleeomprisin apa r oiqsections; I -,.and- 8, Section l &,ofpanel l2 -is circular and entirely circumscribed by the section, lfi thereofi. Anr'fix da pmr rs ehas a ro s ban" Qfit e frame.- int rcenneet ebraclsets stis; ui ped ith a stub haft .Lproie tinsfo w rdl nd havi -asho lder ten e e r arw rde hitty ina-ionr he; tub. haft-lie adi t 26: 39 6. thereon, a grommet 28 of rubber orthe; ilge ro id n Q Q ?i9n&; h islsre ti a ath shaft.

Eu mpa tin o ation; o: he; i k- 26... an su abla ow marmnlq ede er b athe -OFQ ma i i Q nu ec emaenet 0-: ne gized by a conventional connection bywires 33,; frogn; a. source of electric current. supply, such ea w ll s c e .-v isempl ved. theash t t ttn rmatu e bei n macke el-en a m nt wit a rotatable disk 34.. As asupport ortmount for. apow ipm n ane te s on 6- s. ured1 on bracket 2 0;of. the frame.

arm 38..p ivo-tally carried. by extensions:v 3,6, as at 40,carriesthe electro-magnet 30; an, arm, 42.; so p ota l m un e as t 4.4.1011 tension. 36 mQunts the disc 34.; andaspring-AB .is utilized tourgethe. arm 42. until shaft 48,. of disc n a ed wi h he d skzfiior o e at n h i me-l By'applying pressure. on, arm 41, the re.- sistanceof thespring 42 is oyercometoefiect w thd aw of he shaitm rom t k with-- out breaking the circuit,

The springJG joins arm 42 atthe. free end thereof opposite topivot 44, and a, spring, 50. interconnects the free ends. of arms 3,3 and" 42: for yieldably holding an elongated slot. 54 formed e t ns o i 6 ears ha 2- Di c 4 ismade rom rict a ma e al; such s. bber nd. a, ring-56hr like materialcovers the periphery of disc 26..

The disk-like section l8; preferably ofthe same diameter-as disk Z'Eyisparallelwith and-forward of the latter and ofrthe stub shaft 221: It is eccentric relation to disk 28, and a bar orlink 58, between thedisks" IE and 26 is disposed :in radialrelation to them, thatis, occupies aplane intersecting-the-axes-of the--disks, and-is secured rigidly uponthe front end of the stub shaft 22. Link 58 is provided with-aflxed stubshaft mkparallel with the stub shaftfl, andprojecting through-the center of thezdislr ID.

at;- equal distancesirom; centers thereof, said :disks; lflzxandzfi are-provided with acirculara seriesof; equi-rdistant' bolts; 6-2 and, flgrespec tively, allof the-boltsgbeingjn parallelrelatwn at so; pm eet easnai stibp t a aw two disks l8 and 26 are links 66, and all of said links are in permanent parallel relation with each other and with the immovable linkage of the centers of the. disks, regardless of whether the disks are inrotation or are stationary.

One end of each of the links 66 has a relative- 1y large opening 68 formed therein for receiving a grommet 10 of rubber or other flexible material. These grommets 70 each have a central opening 12 for rotatably, yet relatively tightly, receiving a respective bolt 62 of the disc 26.

The opposite end of the links 66 is rebent upon itself and has disposed therein near its-bight, a cross pin 74. Aligned ,openings 16 in this rebentend of links 66 receive corresponding bolts 64 of the disc 18. An opening 78 in the bight of this rebent end receives a set screw 80 that is threaded through cross pin 74 and bears against bolt 64 forcing said bolt tightly against the edges of openings 16.

The front end of each of bolts 64 carries a display shelf or plate 82 which describes a circular course around the axis of the disk I8, but

all of the shelves 82 are immovable 0r fixed with respect to the bolt 64 upon which they are respectively mounted.

' Bosses 84 formed on shelves 82 have an opening 86 formed therein to receive bolts 64 and a set screw-88 extending into opening 86 contacts bolt 64 to hold shelves 82 rigidly on bolts 64 a central shelf 90 is similarly affixed to immovable shaft 60.

The position of the support of the appliance may be utilized to display the device with the disks I8 and 26 in vertical,--horizontal or at any desired angle so that the shelves 82 and 90 may safely carry merchandise without the necessity of tying or otherwise fastening it in place. The shelves or plates may be of any desired contour and of any desired size, providing they do not overlap. If the appliance is used merely for the display of advertising matter, they may be in vertical, horizontal or inclined position, although when the disks arein the inclined position shown, s'uch'shelves or 'plates'may carry merchandise loosely 'without'danger of dislocation. In practice, the disks and shelves will be revolved slowly and thus give observers an opportunity to read the advertising matter or inspect the displayedmerchandise, it being noted in this connection that the appliance includes the stationary face section [2 having the large circular opening or window 92 through which only the front disk 18 and shelves 82 and 90, displaying advertising matter, are observable. The panel I2, including both sections l6 and 18 thereof, as well as the shelves 82 and 90 and their bosses 84 are preferably formed from a light-weight, translucent material, such as plastic, that-may be made into various colors or combinations of colors; Thus, suitable lighting directed to such plastic material will present unique and aesthetic eflects, particularly while the disc I8 is rotating.

"-It'isnotable, .also, .that from a mechanical standpoint, no bindingwill occur though the component parts of. the assembly are not precisely formed and positioned. The grommets 70 as well as the flexible bearing 28 for shaft 22 present sufficient distortion as the discs 26 and I8 rotate to accommodate any slight misfits.

- From the detail description in conjunction with the drawing, it will be apparent that the appliance embodies the objectives of the introductory matter,'-and -it"is--to be understood that I claim the right to all changes within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and described to be. secured by Letters Patent is;

1. In a display rack, a stationary spindle; a drive disk rotatably mounted on said spindle; a driven disk on one side of the drive disk and substantially parallel thereto; means on the spindle for, mounting the driven disk for rotation separate from the drive disk on an axis eccentric to the .axis or rotation of the drive disk; a shaft rotatably mounted on the driven disk and spaced from said axis of the latter rigidly mounted on said shaft and rotatably connected withjthe drive disk for imparting rotation to the shaft and the driven disk.

2. In a display rack, a stationary spindle; a drive disk rotatably mounted on said spindle; a driven disk on one side of. the drive disk and substantially parallel thereto; means on the spindle for mounting the driven disk for rotation separate from the drive disk on an axis eccentric to the axis of rotation of the drive disk; a shaft rotatably mounted in the driven disk and spaced from said axis of the latter; and structure on said shaft and connected with the drive disk for imparting rotation to the shaft and the driven disk, said structure including a pin .rigidly secured to the drive disk and a link rigidly joined to the shaft and rotatably connected With said pin.

3. In a display rack, a rotatable support; a drive disk parallel with and rotatable on an axis eccentric with the axis of rotation of the support and separate therefrom; and means operably joining the drive disk and the support comprising a pin carried by the disk; a shaft on the support and spaced from the pin; a link having one end rebent upon itself, said one end having a pair of aligned openings for receiving said shaft; a resilient grommet mounted in the link at the opposite end thereof and rotatably receiving said pin; a cross-pin in the bight of the link, said bight of the link having a hole formed therein; and a set screw in said hole, threadably carried by said cross-pin and bearing against the shaft for moving the cross-pin into engagement with said bight and forcing the shaft into locking engagement with the link at the edges of said openings thereof.

HOMER C. DOUGLAS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 7 D. 156,682 Summers Dec. 27, 1949 D. 157,033 Douglas Jan. 31, 1950 327,741 True Oct. 6, 1885 1,208,457 Bellville Dec. 12, 1916 1,236,021 Varble Aug. 7, 1917 1,348,386 Wronowski Aug. 3, 1920 1,435,856 Kelly Nov. 14, 1922 1,656,527 Messinger et al. Jan. 17, 1928 1,703,613 Devon Feb. 26, 1929 1,968,448 Harrison July 31, 1934 2,221,661 Woolf Nov. 12, 1940' 2,272,853 Schroeder Feb. 10, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,541 Great Britain July. 2, 1877 83,994 Switzerland June 16, 1920 

